Hotel Brands
Aug 3, 2012 | 2:17 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 6,458
Hotel Brands
Can someone with a good knowledge of the program give me a ranking of their hotel brands, from entry-level to upscale, including Ritz-Carlton, which I would assume to be at the very top? And are there non-branded hotels like SPG's luxury collection? Thanks!
Aug 3, 2012 | 2:38 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: DCA
Posts: 927
I think most would say:
Full Service:
Ritz Carlton
JW Marriott
Marriott/Renaissance (at parity)
AC by Marriott
The Autograph collection varies too widely to generalize.
As for the non-FS hotels, depends on what your looking for:
Courtyard - like a FS wannabe
RI - generally considered "nicest" of the long-term stay brands (although YMMV)
Townplace Suites/ SHS - slightly lower on the food chain
Fairfield - basic, clean motel
Again, most hotels are franchised and while there are brand standards, there are significant differences based on age, size, renovations, etc...
Full Service:
Ritz Carlton
JW Marriott
Marriott/Renaissance (at parity)
AC by Marriott
The Autograph collection varies too widely to generalize.
As for the non-FS hotels, depends on what your looking for:
Courtyard - like a FS wannabe
RI - generally considered "nicest" of the long-term stay brands (although YMMV)
Townplace Suites/ SHS - slightly lower on the food chain
Fairfield - basic, clean motel
Again, most hotels are franchised and while there are brand standards, there are significant differences based on age, size, renovations, etc...
Aug 3, 2012 | 2:38 pm
#3
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Home Airports: CAE/CLT
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, National Executive
Posts: 5,460
What a loaded question, considering the variety of brands inside each group.
Edit: Disregard. I didn't see this was Marriott specific on my Droid FT app. Thought it was comparing all brands.
Edit: Disregard. I didn't see this was Marriott specific on my Droid FT app. Thought it was comparing all brands.
Last edited by Gamecock; Aug 3, 2012 at 3:59 pm
Aug 4, 2012 | 3:38 am
#5
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 343
I think they tell you the rank on the first page of Marriott.com:
"Iconic Luxury", "Luxury", "Lifestyle|Collections"...
"Iconic Luxury", "Luxury", "Lifestyle|Collections"...
Aug 4, 2012 | 3:58 am
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Thailand
Programs: Marriott - P; HH - G; Hyatt - P; Avis - LT First
Posts: 5,023
the brands in the order others are providing them to you does not always equate to price as well.............. for instance, the Singapore Marriott is frequently more expensive on the weekends (I'm headed there from 16-19 Nov) then the Singapore Ritz Carlton.............
Aug 4, 2012 | 8:03 am
#7
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: DCA, EGE, IAD
Programs: MR LTT, BA Gold, AA LTP, UA Silver
Posts: 6,093
Aug 4, 2012 | 9:06 am
#8
Moderator, Marriott Bonvoy & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: McKinney, TX, USA
Programs: United Silver; AA Plat/2MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,775
True, but it is a very nice hotel with great views from the room (and from the bathrooms as well). Definitely a step up (or more) from the Marriott.
Aug 4, 2012 | 9:10 am
#9
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: AUS
Posts: 690
Hotel research company Smith Travel Research classifies hotel chains into market segments by average rate. You can see the details here. Their scale segments (for chain hotels) are currently Economy, Midscale, Upper Midscale, Upscale, Upper Upscale, and Luxury.
This is where they put Marriott's brands (sorted alphabetically within each segment):
Marriott collects hotels with flexibility in brand standards in the Autograph Collection. For example, some (but not all) of the US Autograph Collection hotels are part of Kessler Collection (which has issues).
This is where they put Marriott's brands (sorted alphabetically within each segment):
- Luxury: Bulgari, Edition, JW Marriott, Ritz-Carlton
- Upper Upscale: Autograph Collection, Marriott, Marriott Conference Center, Marriott Executive Apartments, Renaissance
- Upscale: AC Hotel by Marriott, Courtyard, Residence Inn, Springhill Suites
- Upper Midscale: Fairfield Inn, TownePlace Suites
Marriott collects hotels with flexibility in brand standards in the Autograph Collection. For example, some (but not all) of the US Autograph Collection hotels are part of Kessler Collection (which has issues).
Aug 4, 2012 | 9:23 am
#10
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: CLT
Programs: Marriott Plat, AA Gold
Posts: 1,077
Aug 4, 2012 | 9:59 am
#11
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: AA Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 99
I think most would say:
Full Service:
Ritz Carlton
JW Marriott
Marriott/Renaissance (at parity)
AC by Marriott
The Autograph collection varies too widely to generalize.
As for the non-FS hotels, depends on what your looking for:
Courtyard - like a FS wannabe
RI - generally considered "nicest" of the long-term stay brands (although YMMV)
Townplace Suites/ SHS - slightly lower on the food chain
Fairfield - basic, clean motel
Again, most hotels are franchised and while there are brand standards, there are significant differences based on age, size, renovations, etc...
Full Service:
Ritz Carlton
JW Marriott
Marriott/Renaissance (at parity)
AC by Marriott
The Autograph collection varies too widely to generalize.
As for the non-FS hotels, depends on what your looking for:
Courtyard - like a FS wannabe
RI - generally considered "nicest" of the long-term stay brands (although YMMV)
Townplace Suites/ SHS - slightly lower on the food chain
Fairfield - basic, clean motel
Again, most hotels are franchised and while there are brand standards, there are significant differences based on age, size, renovations, etc...
No one should ever refer to ACs as "full service"; they are not, not even close. I know that is how Marriott wants to categorize ACs sometimes, but they are more in line with Courtyards, average to below average Courtyards.
Aug 4, 2012 | 10:03 am
#12
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: DCA, EGE, IAD
Programs: MR LTT, BA Gold, AA LTP, UA Silver
Posts: 6,093
And points for incidentals are only earned at JW Marriott, Marriott, Renaissance, and Autograph Collection.
Aug 4, 2012 | 10:24 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 26,113
For example, there are places where the Fairfield Inn is much nicer than the Residence Inn, even though on all brand-ranking charts the Residence Inn seems to be a slightly higher-up brand than Fairfield Inn.
In general, each brand has a varied collection of hotels which aren't all the same and aren't all run the same. An above-average (for that brand) hotel in a lower brand is likely to often be a better experience than a below-average (for that brand) hotel in a higher brand.